I have heard of numerous seafarers turning down offer to go to Nigeria, can't blame them, below is an article from the CBC. A nasty bit of world there. Its just amazing that so far no too many people have died in these attacks. The chaps were kidnapped from the Norwegian company Petroleum Geo Services (PGS), they operate seismic vessels with starting names "Ramford ...". Here you can find the brief press release about the victims.

Two foreign oil workers seized last week from a ship off the coast of Nigeria were released on Tuesday, a government official said. The two men, a Briton and an American, were taken to Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa state, after they were freed, said Ekiyor Welson, spokesman for the local state government.

The men were kidnapped last Thursday during a raid on a Norwegian oil services ship off Nigeria's southern coast. The ship was owned by Oslo, Norway-based Petroleum Geo-Services. A witness said the gunmen raided the ship off the coast of Bayelsa state and took them away in boats.

It's the latest in a series of violent incidents — including kidnappings and attacks on oil facilities — in Nigeria since the beginning of the year. Militants in the country say they deserve a greater share of oil wealth from oil companies and the government. While dozens of foreigners have been kidnapped, the hostage-takings have usually ended peacefully, with those seized being set free after negotiations.

The violence has led to a 25 per cent decrease in crude oil production in the past ten months.